Instrument clusters in vehicles are generally used to provide an indication of the various operating conditions of the vehicle. An instrument cluster typically consists of several gauges which are used to provide an indication of vehicle speed, operating temperature of the engine, engine speed, fuel level, oil pressure, and the like.
Most instrument clusters have some type of illumination system which is used to illuminate the gauges so they may be seen during nighttime driving conditions. One approach to illuminating a gauge is to provide a needle, or pointer needle which is illuminated by a light emitting diode (LED) mounted on a base to illuminate the pointer needle. Other attempts to illuminate a pointer needle include the use of a light guide with an LED to illuminate the pointer needle. Other designs include a pointer needle which includes a portion formed with an acrylic material which is used to reflect or distribute the light received from the LED.
However, if there are any irregularities in the reflective surface of the pointer needle, this could lead to an uneven distribution of lighting for the pointer.
Accordingly, there exists a need for gauge which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks.